Heat defeated 5-2 by IceHogs

ABBOTSFORD, BC -- The Abbotsford Heat were defeated 5-2 by the Rockford IceHogs (AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks) on Friday night at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre (AESC).

Martin St. Pierre scored one goal and added two assists, and Henrik Karlsson stopped 33 Heat shots to earn his fourth straight win. Carter Bancks scored his second short-handed goal of the season in the Heat loss.

The IceHogs opened the game with a pair of goals in the first period. Brandon Svendsen made it 1-0 at 7:23 and St. Pierre put the IceHogs up 2-0 with a goal at 19:50.

In the second period Rockford added a power play goal at 2:11 to go up 3-0 and end Barry Brust’s night in the Heat net. With Danny Taylor in the crease and the Heat on the power play, Brad Mills scored on a penalty shot at 9:22 to give the IceHogs a 4-0 lead.

The Heat rallied late in the second with an unassisted short-handed goal from Bancks at 13:13, and a tip-in goal from Greg Nemisz in the final minute. Nemisz’s third goal of the season was assisted by Joe Callahan and Drew MacKenzie. The IceHogs led 4-2 after 40 minutes.

The IceHogs scored with 5:58 remaining in regulation to go up by three, ending the Heat rally. The IceHogs passed the Heat in the Western Conference standings with the win.

Brust made 11 saves on 14 shots for the loss. Taylor stopped 13 of 15 shots in relief. The Heat outshot the IceHogs by a 35-26 margin in the game.

The Heat failed to score on two power play opportunities, while the penalty kill scored once and allowed one against on four Rockford man advantages.